After fire, norms changed at Kumbh

LUCKNOW: After Sundays fire, safety measures have been spruced up by the Maha Kumbh administration. It has been decided to set up a fire station for every 800 square metre of the mela area where over 1.6 lakh tents have been put up. On Tuesday, teams of police and fire services personnel started an awareness and checking drive to ensure that there were no illegal cylinders kept in any of the camps. An emergency meeting of the food and civil supplies department, fire safety officials and LPG distributors was also held. Besides, the fire safety department issued dos and donts for the devotees staying in the mela area. It was decided during the meeting that strict action would be taken against those found misusing domestic LPG or selling unauthorised cylinders. In all, 53 fire stations and 20 fire posts have been set up to deal with fire. More than 1,300 firemen and 300 fire-tenders are ready to deal with any eventuality, said a senior official of the fire safety department. Prayagraj and Lucknow have nine and 11 fire stations, while the mela area 53. This was the reason we could control the Sunday fire incident. Our set up is such that a fire tender will not take more than three-four minutes to reach any site in the mela area, the official says. More 4,300 fire hydrants have been strategically deployed to handle any emergency. The fire department was allocated a budget of `66.75 crore, while the overall budget for fire safety equipment and vehicles is `131.48 crore. Each akharas tents have also been equipped with fire safety gear. In preparation for the event, dozens of mock drills have been organised in collaboration with NDRF and SDRF, ensuring that all personnel were prepared to respond to emergencies. Special flights to be parked at 11 airports in 4 states In view of the massive air traffic expected for Mauni Amavasya on January 29 in the Maha Kumbh, arrangements have been made to park chartered and special flights at 11 airports spread across four states. These airports are situated within 600 km from Prayagraj. The Prayagraj airport is expected to handle more than 200 flights on January 29, when 8-10 crore devotees are expected to visit Maha Kumbh. The Airport Authority of India has already sought assistance from these airports situated in UP, Bihar, MP and Jharkhand. The airports which have been contacted for providing parking facilities are Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, Kushinagar, Gorakhpur, Gaya, Khajuraho, Jabalpur, Bhopal, Deoghar and Chitrakoot. The Chitrakoot airport will be reserved for emergency parking. The Prayagraj airport is already handling an unprecedented number of flights and passengers. Approximately 40,000 have either landed at or taken off from the airport which is an all-time record. Expecting a large number of international passengers, the airport has set up customs and 2 booked for spreading fake news at Mela Two persons have been booked for allegedly spreading fake news about the Maha Kumbh through social media. According to police, the two have uploaded a video of a runaway minor girl chatting with a sadhu and called it inappropriate. A complaint has been lodged. But the matter has turned out to be fake. PM to visit Maha Kumbh on Feb 5, Prez on Feb 10 Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit Maha Kumbh on February 5, according to sources. Union Home Minister Amit Shah may attend the mela on January 27, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar on February 1 and the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, is expected to part of the celebrations on February 10.

Token system in Saran hosps

Youth shot at in Bhojpur dist

Union minister Manjhi threatens to quit govt

Union minister Jitan Ram Manjhi threatened to resign from the cabinet, alleging that his Hindustani Awam Morcha was not getting a fair deal in the NDA ahead of the Bihar assembly polls. Manjhi, the lone MP of his party, said he wanted 40 seats for his party in the upcoming elections, adding that he was not pursuing any personal ambitions but seeking a better deal for the Bhuiyan-Musahar Dalit community.

Youth killed on Hwh-bound train in Bihar

3 using boats to smuggle liquor in Bihar held

Three-year RI for amin of Rajgir circle

13 held for gambling in Patna

Two students hurt in road accident

Ranji Trophy: Bihar To Face Uttar Pradesh In Patna From January 23

The Uttar Pradesh: The Bihar cricket team is all set to face Uttar Pradesh in their next match of the ongoing Ranji Trophy 2024-25 at the iconic Moin-ul-Haq Stadium here from January 23 to 26. The Moin-ul-Haq Stadium successfully hosted two Ranji Trophy matches in October and November 2025 as the 2024-25 season began. The Bihar cricket team gave a tough fight to their opponents in the initial matches. The Uttar Pradesh cricket team, led by Aryan Juyal, arrived in Patna on Monday. Notable players like Shivam Mavi, Saurabh Kumar, and Priyam Garg are part of their squad, alongside the coaching staff led by Sunil Joshi, a former Indian cricketer. Bihar Cricket Association (BCA) president, Rakesh Tiwari said, This match is a significant opportunity for the Bihar team to showcase its talent against Uttar Pradesh. With the recent developments and long-term plans, Bihar is on its way to becoming a prominent destination for cricket in India. Meanwhile, the BCA on Monday also announced the squad which will play against Uttar Pradesh. Veera Pratap Singh will captain the squad while Sakibul Gani will be his deputy. Last month, the Bihar Government transferred the registry of the land for Moin-ul-Haq Stadium to the Bihar Cricket Association (BCA) on a long-term 30-year lease. This is a major step taken by the Bihar Government and the Bihar Cricket Association (BCA) to host international cricket matches in Patna and to provide state cricketers with a state-of-the-art international cricket stadium. The Moin-ul-Haq Stadium will now be developed into an international-level stadium and sports complex. The stadium will have a seating capacity of 40,000 spectators, along with 76 corporate boxes and arrangements for 250 VIPs. Last month, the Bihar Government transferred the registry of the land for Moin-ul-Haq Stadium to the Bihar Cricket Association (BCA) on a long-term 30-year lease. This is a major step taken by the Bihar Government and the Bihar Cricket Association (BCA) to host international cricket matches in Patna and to provide state cricketers with a state-of-the-art international cricket stadium. Also Read: Highest tax paying cricketers Article Source: IANS

Four members of gang of thugs arrested

2 flights cancelled, 12 delayed due to dense fog

Government plans to move Waqf Bill during Budget session, opposition seeks more time

As the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) of the Waqf (amendment) Bill is set to hold the last round of meetings on January 24- 25, Opposition parties on Tuesday sought more time andurged the panel to postpone the meetings till the end of this month, according to sources. The members of the panel were informed through an official communication on Monday late evening that the committee will begin clause-by-clause discussion on the proposed amendments in two sittings on January 24 - 25. The members have also been asked to submit notices of the various amendments to the legislation by January 22. Sources familiar with the development said that after the draft report is submitted to Parliament, the Centre is keen to table the bill in the upcoming budget session in view of the Delhi assembly election on February 5 and Bihar polls later this year. The first half of the Budget session is scheduled from January 31- February 13. The contentious bill was referred to the joint Parliamentary committee led by BJP MP Jagdambika Pal in August last year. However, sources said that the Opposition members, during Tuesdays meeting in Lucknow, conveyed to the panel chairman about their inability to submit the amendments on such short notice and demanded that the meeting be postponed to January 30 31. The Committee held deliberations in Lucknow on Tuesday as part of a study tour to three cities. How can the panel expect the members to submit the amendments on Wednesday? Since the final meetings are scheduled for 24 th , the members have only 48 hours tostudy the proposed amendments, said a source adding that the panel chairman assured the members that he would look into their concerns. The Opposition also urged the panel chairman to submit the report during the second half of the Budget session which begins on March 10 and concludes on April 4. Another source said that according to law, the members should be given 15 days to register dissent notes. It is a hurried move by the panel to table the report in view of the Delhi elections. The panel is yet to finish consultations with many stakeholders and still has a lot of pending work, he said. According to informed sources, the government has reached out to its allies Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Janata Dal United JD (U) over the proposed legislation. Several Muslim groups in Andhra Pradesh and Bihar have been opposing most of the amendments in the legislation including the appointment of non-Muslims as members of the Central Waqf Council and state Waqf Boards. According to a JD (U) leader, some Muslim outfits recently met Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to discuss the Bill. Speaking to the media in Lucknow, panel chairman Pal said that it was the last meeting of the JPC. We have already visited several states. This is the final leg of the tour, and after this, we will present the JPC report in the budget session. The Government of India has proposed 44 amendments, and we have given time until tomorrow for our members to provide their final views on them, he said. The panel has held 34 meetings in Delhi and consulted Waqf Board representatives from more than 12 states. During the recent winter session of Parliament, the committee got an extension to submit its report up to the last day of the upcoming budget session.

Former Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi Threatens To Give Up Cabinet Berth, Causes Flutter

Union minister Jitan Ram Manjhi caused a flutter on Tuesday after he threatened to give up his cabinet berth

Man shot dead on moving train in Lakhisarai

Saran to introduce token system in govt hospitals

PIL in SC challenges BPSC chairperson appointment

AK-47 recovery: NIA raids mukhiyas house

Rising trend of live-streamed suicides among states youth worries experts

Birla calls for barrier-free discussions in legislatures

Nitish launches projects worth over Rs 514 crore in Kishanganj

Two arrested for abducting, raping Kaimur woman

Rape case: HC begins hearing on appeals of ex-legislator, others

Holy city to transform into manufacturing cluster, 29 agendas passed in first board meeting

Man shot dead in moving train in Lakhisarai of Bihar

The body of the deceased has been sent for post-mortem examination and investigation is underway, an official said

Two elderly brothers crushed to death by fuel tanker in Vaishali

Rahul vows to raise issue of protesting BPSC aspirants in Parliament

Foggy weather returns to Bihar, Met office issues alert

Ara social activist gets R-Day invite

Low visibility on track delays several trains

Cash & jewellery stolen from shop

Patna High Court dismisses PIL on Bihar civil court infrastructure

The Patna High Court has dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) filed to highlight the inadequate infrastructure in civil courts across Bihar. The PIL, filed by Anshuman Singh, specifically mentioned the lack of facilities in civil courts at Danapur, Patna City, Patna Sadar, Barh, Masaurhi, and Paliganj Subdivision. In response to the PIL, counter-affidavits were [] The post Patna High Court dismisses PIL on Bihar civil court infrastructure appeared first on India Legal .

Bihar man files case against Rahul Gandhi for spilled milk, cites fight against Indian state remark

Patna: A man from Bihar filed a case against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi ina local court, accusing him of causing a loss worth Rs 250 after he dropped a pail of milk. The incident, which unfolded in Samastipur district, has left many scratching their heads. Mukesh Chaudhary, the complainant, claims that the shock of hearing []

Savouring the Flavours of Purani Dilli at ITC Kohenur

After successfully showcasing the cuisine of Bhopal, Bihar, and Mangaluru, ITC Kohenur is now hosting Dilli Ki Dastaan, a unique food festival that brings the authentic flavours of Purani Dilli to Hyderabad at Golkonda Pavilion. The festival is curated by Chef Yashita Aggarwal, a Delhi native who has spent years perfecting the recipes of her hometown. I wanted to bring the true flavours of Delhi to Hyderabad, says Chef Yashita. The dishes I have selected are core to Purani Dillis cuisine, and I have used traditional recipes and ingredients to ensure authenticity, she says. The festival offers an array of dishes, including Dahi Bhalla, Kastha kachori, and makhane ke kebab for shuruwat. The yummilicious thali is loaded with chhole, palak paneer, dal makhani, and Purani Dilli wale chatpate aloo ki sabzi, among other delicacies which will leave you asking for more. For desserts, guests can indulge in Shahi Lassi and Gajrela, a winter special. Chef Yashitas passion for cooking is evident in every dish. I have always loved cooking, and after getting married and moving to Hyderabad, I realised that I missed the flavours of my hometown, she says. Thats when I decided to curate this festival and bring a taste of Purani Dilli to Hyderabad for those craving authentic food. The festival is on till January 26, and foodies are in for a treat. As one guest commented, The food was outstanding, especially the bhatura and gajar pickle. Dont miss this opportunity to experience the authentic flavours of Purani Dilli at Golkonda Pavilion in ITC Kohenur, Hitec City. Hyderabadis, here's your chance to embark on a culinary journey through the streets of Old Delhi!

My milk bucket fell after hearing a shocking remark: Bihar man sues Rahul Gandhi to recover Rs 250 loss

A resident of Bihar has filed a case against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for causing him to drop a pail of milk, resulting in a loss of Rs 250. The complainant claims he was shocked by a remark from Gandhi, causing him to drop the milk. The complaint seeks trial under various sections including sedition.

Bihar man moves court against Rahul Gandhi over loss of milk worth 250

The complainant claimed that he received a shock upon hearing Mr. Gandhi's fight against the Indian state remark last week

Bihar man sues Rahul Gandhi over loss of milk

The bizarre development has taken place in Samastipur district, where complainant Mukesh Chaudhary claimed that he received a shock upon hearing Gandhi's fight against the Indian state remark last week.

Emergency Box Office Collection Day 4: Kangana Ranaut's Film Earns Less Than Alia Bhatt's Jigra On First Monday

In Emergency , Kangana Ranaut plays Indira Gandhi, Anupam Kher portrays Jayaprakash Narayan and Shreyas Talpade takes on the role of Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Bihar man moves court against Rahul Gandhi over loss of milk worth Rs 250

PATNA : A resident of Bihar has lodged a case in a local court, alleging that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi caused him to drop a pail of milk resulting in a loss of Rs 250. The bizarre development has taken place in Samastipur district, where complainant Mukesh Chaudhary claimed that he received a shock upon hearing Gandhi's fight against the Indian state remark last week. I was in such a state of shock that my bucket full of five litres of milk, priced at Rs 50 per litre, slipped off my hand. Rahul Gandhi was threatening the sovereignty of the nation, alleged Chaudhary. The resident of Sonupur village also showed the media a copy of his petition, filed in the civil court of Rosera sub-division, seeking trial of Gandhi under various BNS sections, including 152 that pertains to sedition. It was not known whether the petition had been admitted by the court. FIR against Rahul Gandhi in Guwahati for fighting Indian State remarks

Bangladesh national arrested for illegal stay in Angamaly

KOCHI: The police on Monday arrested a Bangladeshi national staying in Angamaly for using fake documents. The arrested is Dilwar Hussain, 28, of Rohinpur, Bangladesh. Following a tip-off, the Angamaly police reached his rented house on Sunday night and took him into custody. In the interrogation, the accused confessed he was a Bangladeshi national. After crossing the Indo-Bangladesh border illegally, he reached Kolkata. From there, he reached Angamaly on a train around three months back. He was working at construction sites in Angamaly and staying with migrant workers. According to him, his family is still in Bangladesh, a police officer said. The police said Dilwar possessed an Aadhaar card and an expired Bangladeshi passport. The Aadhaar card had an address in Mumbai. We are verifying the address. Further investigation is conducted to identify the people who provided fake Aaadhar to Dilwar, an official said. A case was registered against Dilwar under section 14A for illegal entry to the country and section 14(b) for using forged documents to enter India. The accused was produced before a magistrate court which remanded him in judicial custody. Last week, police arrested a Bangladeshi woman who was staying with her boyfriend from Bihar at Bengali Colony at Kandathara. Police had recovered an Aadhaar card and PAN card which turned out to be fake. Police said agents operating in West Bengal help Bangladeshi nationals with fake ID cards and facilitate their stay in India illegally.

Ex-IAF man jumps on to Metro track at Jalahalli station, rescued

BENGALURU: Metro services were disrupted for 25 minutes on the Green Line on Monday morning after a 49-year-old former Air Force employee jumped onto the railway tracks at Jalahalli Metro Station in the face of an approaching train. Quick action by women guards on Platform 2 in stopping the train through emergency systems saved the mans life. He did not sustain any major injury. The man, a native of Bihar, jumped on the tracks at 10.25 am when a train coming from Silk Institute was heading towards Madavara, read a press release from the BMRCL. Two women guards sprang into action as soon as they witnessed his action. A Home Guard on the platform pressed the Emergency Stop Plunger switch located on the platform. She broke the glass window and activated it. This switch results in complete emergency brakes applied for the train by using the signalling system, a source said. Simultaneously, another woman private security guard pressed the Emergency Trip System and this which stopped the power supply to the train completely, the source added. After the train came to a halt, BMRCL staff rushed and pulled the man out of the tracks, he added From 10.25 am up to 10.50 pm, BMRCL operated short loop trains which ran between Yesvantpur and Silk Institute. Normal train services were restored on the Green Line by 10.50 am. A spate of suicide bids rocked Bengaluru Metro last year with BMRCL planning to install platform screen doors (PSDs) at Sir M Visvesvaraya and Kempegowda Metro stations. The plan is being finalised. We have to call for tenders in this connection, BMRCL MD Maheswar Rao told TNIE. In BMRCLs upcoming Pink line of Phase-2 from Nagavara to Kalena Agrahara, it has already contracted the installation of PSDs to Alstom Transport India for its 13 underground stations apart from platform screen gates, which will be half the height of PSDs, at six elevated stations. The Blue Line comprising both Phase 2A will have PSGs at 30 elevated stations.

Complaint filed against Kejriwal over derogatory remarks on Bihar, UP people

Patna: A complaint was lodged against former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in Patna Civil Court on Monday for his alleged derogatory remarks about the people of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The statement in question was made by Kejriwal on January 9 which sparked outrage among residents of the two states. The complaint was filed Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Patient misses check-up due to traffic jam on Ara-Patna road

Woman gives birth to baby at Guwahati Railway station

HT Bureau GUWAHATI, Jan 20: In a dramatic turn of events, a woman fromBihargave birth to a baby onPlatform No 4ofGuwahati Railway Station, turning an ordinary train journey into an unforgettable moment. The woman was travelling fromAgartalato Baraunion theRani Kamlapati Expresswhen she suddenly went into labour pain. On receiving the information, officials of NF Railway []

Probe ordered as seven die in suspected hooch tragedy in dry Bihar

West Champaran district administration has ordered a probe into it, denying deaths due to liquor, which is prohibited in Bihar

Rising from the ashes: inside Bihar school run from cremation ground

Started in 2017 with only eight students, Appan Pathshala now has 120 children. Every year, around 20 to 25 children get enrolled in government schools for regular classes

Shikha Mukerjee | Netas & the Indian State: Reflect first, speak later

One-upmanship is a silly sort of competition. When sensationalism sinks to the point of delivering one-liners, that too simplifications without content, then it makes no sense. The best that can be said about the political class is that they need to take a break, go into self-imposed silence and reflect on what they say to feed their attention-seeking syndrome. Rahul Gandhis declaration that the Congress is in a fight against the Indian State even though he qualified it by explaining it had been captured by the BJP and the RSS is one example. The other is RSS chief Mohan Bhagwats counter factual, or alt fact, that Indias true independence was achieved on January 22, 2024 with the consecration of the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya, that is, Independent India is barely a year old! Rahul Gandhi, however, is not alone in thinking that the Indian State is now captive; at a public meeting in Kolkata, the CPI(M) coordinator Prakash Karat (a temporary assignment he had to accept after the passing of general secretary Sitaram Yechury) repeated that the Indian State had been captured by the BJP and RSS, imperilling secularism and democracy. Both Rahul Gandhi and Mr Karat seem to be interpreting what Vladimir Lenin said a long time ago, in State and Revolution: No, democracy is not identical with majority rule. Democracy is a State which recognises the subjection of the minority to the majority, that is, an organisation for the systematic use of force by one part of the population against another. To be fair, one part of Mohan Bhagwats bizarre claim about the date of Indias Independence as not August 15, 1947 has a basis in his ideology. His discovery is in line with the grand design for Akhand Bharat and Hindu Rashtra dreamt up by the founding fathers of the RSS. To that extent, the claim about January 22, 2024 in RSS lore can go down as one step forward, at a stretch, in the Hindu Right direction. Indulging in making noise that signifies nothing or almost nothing is, it appears, a shared affliction of the two big parties in India claiming to represent the nation. There is, however, a fundamental difference between the Congress and the RSS. The RSS does not directly contest elections or form governments; its members do, albeit as BJP representatives. The RSS and its chief cannot be held to account in the same way as the Congress or BJP, both registered political parties that contest elections and fight over acquiring the power, actually coercive power, of the Indian State to get things done, no matter what those things are. There is also a difference between the Congress and the BJP; the Congress is 140 years old, whereas the BJP was established after dissolving the Jan Sangh in 1980. That apart, Mr Gandhi is not just a Congress leader, even if he is the de facto boss of the party; he was nurtured and groomed, if not to lead, then at the very least to be politically savvy. He must know what every high school student knows, that the Indian State is more than the government formed by the political party or coalition of parties that have a majority in the Lok Sabha. To declare that the Indian State is captive without explaining what part of the State he believed had been captured and how is the sort of empty-headed frivolity that passes for serious political discussion on the social media. If the statements by Mohan Bhagwat and Rahul Gandhi were intended as the sort of unique hook that tends to go viral on social media, they succeeded. Viral information has a short life and the two statements have temporarily sunk in terms of circulating at vertiginous speed. It is almost certain that Mohan Bhagwats statement will resurface on social media soon as the first anniversary of the Ram Mandir approaches. It will be definitely amplified by Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath and other aggressive Hindu Right advocates, who will doubtless use the occasion to reiterate the theme of Batange toh Katange, divided is death, to titillate the sensation seeking core voters of the BJP. Neither the righteously indignant critics of Rahul Gandhi nor the Narendra Modi 3.0 government, however, are feisty or maybe courageous enough to brand as mad, a lot of people who declared a long time ago that their raison detre is to fight against the Indian State, especially its coercive power. For starters, the Maoists or Left extremists in Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha and West Bengal have been locked in a fight against the Indian State since the 1960s. Insurgent outfits, including the Paresh Barua-led United Liberation Front of Asom, are at war with the Indian State. By signing ceasefire agreements with outfits like the NSCN(K) Niki Sumi faction, the Indian State recognises that these are bona-fide anti-State entities. There are others. If Rahul Gandhi were politically smarter, he should have defined the nature of the fight, its purpose and goals when he said the Congress was engaged in a fight against the Indian State. He had a captive audience of party leaders who could have amplified it and spread it, since he delivered the punch line at the inauguration of the new Congress headquarters. By failing to do so, it seemed that Rahul Gandhi had no clue of what his one-liner really meant vis--vis lived reality of the Indian people. There are a lot of people, who are not Maoists, insurgents or extremists, who are unhappy with the Indian State. That does not make them urban Naxals; they cannot be charged with treason as a shrill and defensive BJP media counter campaign insisted. Nor are these people mad and they certainly should not be locked up and removed from the public sphere, as BJP spokespersons demanded. The recommendation to lock away Rahul Gandhi is revealing of how deeply embedded in the BJP psyche is the belief that all it has to do is to define, classify people, that is label them as mad, Urban Naxals, anti-nationals, anti-Hindu in order to control, and regulate them. The real political task, as Michel Foucault and Noam Chomsky in conversation about Human Nature identified, was to criticise and unmask the working of institutions and the political violence that has always exercised itself obscurely through them, which is what fighting the Indian State ought to mean. It would seriously benefit the Congress leadership and the BJP, though for different reasons, to take a temporary vow of silence to reflect on the substance of what they say.

Aakar Patel | 3 major problems facing South Asia: Why dont we learn from EU & Asean?

What are the problems affecting those countries that made up pre-1947 India? There appear to be three important ones which are common to all three large South Asian nations. The first is poverty and insufficient economic growth. The second is an inward facing nationalism that is aimed at each nations own minorities. The third is the tension between over-centralised nations with vast regional disparities. The first problem is clear to anyone who is familiar with the region. The per person national income or GDP of India in 2020 was $1,933, of Bangladesh $2,270 and of Pakistan $1,501. We should ignore the seasonal headlines that have marched us into superpower status. Each South Asian nation is only marginally ahead of or behind the other and nowhere close to Asian nations such as South Korea ($34,000 in 2020), Japan ($39,000) or even China ($10,408). Any signalling about fastest-growing economy when it comes to India must be placed in this reality. In the long-term, we are not replicating what the other Asian economies have done at the same pace and we are in fact more or less in the same place as our neighbours. The second problem is again obvious to anyone who either lives in our parts or studies the area from the outside. It is remarkable how many scholars of India in the West have written recent books on the decline of secularism and pluralism here and how it has damaged us as a nation and will continue to do so in future. The same can be said of Pakistan and also about Bangladesh. Far too much national energy is expended on the persecution of minorities. Energy in terms of legislation, the media, the justice system and popular politics. And this is negative energy at that meaning it is not productive and does not contribute to the nation except to take the focus away from important things. There is no point in repeating here what has been written and read and seen and heard a million times before. If one is unwilling to accept that this is today happening in India as much as it is in our neighbours, there is little point in trying to convince such a person. The third issue is less discussed and less understood, even by experts both inside India and outside. Perhaps one reason is that issue is for the moment in suspension till the census and the delimitation process are concluded. Apart than the reallocation of seats based on population, the other thing that the process will throw up is the sense of disempowerment felt by states. In July 2023, the statistics and programme implementation ministry put out state-wise data on per person annual GDP at current prices. The southern states did better here, with Andhra Pradesh (`2.19 lakhs), Kerala (`2.28 lakhs), Tamil Nadu (`2.73 lakhs), Karnataka (`3.01 lakhs) and Telangana (`3.08 lakhs) all above the national average. This can be compared with Bihar (`49,000), Uttar Pradesh (`70,000) and Madhya Pradesh (`1.4 lakh). A January 2024 paper by Bank of Baroda titled State-wise GST collections has variation showed that the April-December 2023 collections for Uttar Pradesh (`85,000 crores), Madhya Pradesh (`34,993 crores) and Bihar (`16,298 crores) were together just about the same as Karnataka (`1.17 lakh crore). Other than this wide and widening gap in income and contribution, there are other differences that are being emphasised in time. Resource allocation is one, and it is natural one to come up because distribution cannot follow the same pattern if India is to eliminate poverty and inequality. States that contribute more per person to the national exchequer will get less per person so long as the disparity exists. Another difference is in terms of response to the second problem, of inward facing nationalisms or, to put it in another way, of majoritarian politics. The South is less interested in this than the North. Though it is true that anti-minority politics has become more popular everywhere in India, including the South, some essential differences remain because on many issues the southern focus is elsewhere. In February 2022, the health and family welfare ministry published the status of the infant mortality rate and maternal mortality rate in India. For every 1,000 births, Kerala lost six infants and Karnataka 21. In Madhya Pradesh it was 46 and in Uttar Pradesh 41. The maternal mortality rate was two in Kerala and 17 in Uttar Pradesh. These are of course government figures and nobody disputes them. The differences are real. The same problems affect Pakistan, which has enormous regional disparities of the sort that India has. Balochistans per person GDP is less than half of its neighbour Sindhs. Punjab, a single province, has more than half the total national population. To address the imbalances, Pakistan needs to figure out something just as India and Bangladesh will have to. Despite this, it is strange that our region remains divided and one of the least integrated parts of the world. Each country here seems to think its problems are unique and it will produce some special solution that will ignore what is happening all around it. The lessons of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which all have had nasty histories with each other but are economically integrated today, or of the European Union, hold little value for us. So, what are the possible ways in which our region can address all of its three problems? I have something more to say about this in this column over the next few weeks.

Teachers held captive at Madhepura govt school

115 to participate in e-sports contest tomorrow

MPs seek rly information and ticketing system upgrade

Tight security in city for R-Day celebrations

LS Speaker Om Birla expresses concern on disruption of House proceedings

PATNA: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday expressed concern and anguish over the planned disruption of House proceedings, the decline in the number of sittings, and the erosion of dignity and decorum in legislatures across the country. Delivering the inaugural address of the 85th All India Presiding Officers Conference (AIPOC) in the Bihar Legislature premises in the state capital, Birla asserted that legislatures were forums for debates and discussions, and legislators were expected to fulfil the hopes and aspirations of the people. He cautioned the participants about legislatures falling short of fulfilling their constitutional mandate due to the decline in the number of sittings. The Lok Sabha Speaker called upon lawmakers to prioritise efficient scheduling and effective utilisation of parliamentary time to address pressing national issues and ensure that the voice of the people was adequately represented. He suggested that all political parties should create an internal code of conduct for their members behaviour in the House to ensure that democratic values were respected. Observing that peoples representatives should follow constitutional propriety, rising above political ideology and affiliation, the Speaker opined that they must respect healthy parliamentary traditions while expressing their ideologies and viewpoints. He emphasised that presiding officers should run the Houses in accordance with the spirit of the Constitution and its values. One Nation, One Legislative Platform will be a reality by the end of 2025, he added. Birla also released the updated version of Practice and Procedure of Parliament (8th English edition and 5th Hindi edition). This updated version, edited by Lok Sabha Secretary General Utpal Kumar Singh, serves as a crucial resource for understanding the functioning and operations of the Indian Parliament. It covers a wide range of parliamentary practices, rules, and conventions, providing valuable insights into the legislative process and the roles of elected representatives. Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, and other dignitaries also spoke on the occasion. Bihar Assembly Speaker Nand Kishore Yadav welcomed the participants at the inaugural session of the two-day conference.anding the functioning and operations of the Indian Parliament. It covers a wide range of parliamentary practices, rules, and conventions, providing valuable insights into the legislative process and the roles of elected representatives. Rajya Sabha deputy chairman Harivansh, deputy chief minister Samrat Choudhary and other dignitaries also spoke on the occasion. Bihar assembly Speaker Nand Kishore Yadav welcomed the participants in the inaugural session of the two-day conference.

Nitish launches 210 projects worth Rs 298 crore in Supaul

Remain vigilant about poll irregularities: Dipankar

HC quashes criminal case against ex-MP Mangani Lal Mandal

Nitish calls on Birla before leaving for Supaul

Traffic turmoil in city as schools reopen after winter break

Some ministers miss All India Presiding Officers Conference

10 new traffic outposts in Patna to decongest roads

Two held for gang-raping woman in Aurangabad

Heart surgery patient misses check-up due to Ara-Patna road jam

Officials asked to prioritise tasks for delivery of services

DM flags off road safety awareness vehicles

LS speaker Birla expresses concern over planned disruption of House proceedings

Prank gone wrong: Elderly beats man to death in Rohtas

Opium crop on 7 acres land destroyed in Aurangabad

Rajasthan Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani admitted to IGIC in Patna

PATNA: Rajasthan Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani, who is in the state capital to attend the 85th All India Presiding Officers' Conference (AIPOC), was rushed to Indira Gandhi Institute of Cardiology (IGIC) in the early hours of Monday after he complained of uneasiness. Devnani is better now and has expressed his willingness to go back to Rajasthan, Bihar Assembly Speaker Nand Kishore Yadav said. The Rajasthan Assembly Speaker had complained of uneasiness in the morning after which he was immediately taken to a government hospital. He is fine now, Yadav told the media. He said arrangements are being made for Devnani to go back to Rajasthan, as per his wish. Later Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla reached IGIC to know the health condition of Rajasthan assembly Speaker. Yadav, however, refuted reports in a section of media that Devnani suffered a cardiac arrest. He has complained of some uneasiness and was subsequently admitted to a city based hospital for treatment, Bihar assembly Speaker said. Sources said that Devnani will be taken back to Rajasthan by an air ambulance. Devnani, the MLA from Ajmer North, is the first Sindhi to be appointed as Speaker. During the day, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla inaugurated the 85th All India Presiding Officers' Conference in the Bihar Legislative Assembly premises. The conference is being held on '75th Anniversary of Constitution: Contribution of Parliament and State Legislative Bodies in strengthening constitutional values'. Presiding officers from across the country have come to Patna to attend the conference, which saw participation from deputy Speakers, Assembly Speakers of all states and Legislative Council Chairman.

Bihar woman gives birth on Guwahati Railway Station platform

HT Digital GUWAHATI, Jan 20: In a heart-stopping and extraordinary sequence of events, a routine train journey turned into an unforgettable moment for a woman from Bihar, who gave birth to a healthy baby on Platform No. 4 of Guwahati Railway Station, a press release said on Monday. The woman was traveling aboard the Rani []

TVF Unveils Trailer for New Show MitronPolitan

TVF (The Viral Fever) is all set to present yet another relatable story with their forthcoming show MitronPolitan. The makers recently unveiled the captivating trailer of the drama, leaving the fans excited. This series talks about the tale of a boy who moves to a metro city and embarks on a journey to build a life there. The preview shows a young man, Rajat coming to a new city for a job. From the accent, the protagonist seems to be from Bihar. In the new city, he is forced to share his room with two other men, Kanan and Rishi.

PPU to set up research cells in colleges: VC

Supreme Court to hear cop's plea after FIR against IPS officer whom she accuses of rape quashed

Supreme Court adjourns hearing on plea against quashed FIR by Bihar Police woman officer accusing IPS officer of rape

SC to hear woman SP's rape case against IPS officer

The Supreme Court has postponed the hearing on a plea filed by a Bihar Police woman officer against a Patna High Court order that quashed the FIR against an IPS officer whom she accused of rape on the false promise of marriage. The court asked the woman's lawyer to make certain amendments to the petition before the next hearing in two weeks.

Union Budget: Will Modi govt have something special for Nitish Kumars Bihar?

Budget 2025: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar aligns firmly with PM Modi, anticipating significant Union Budget allocations for state development. Key demands include high dams, flood management, infrastructure advancements, solar parks, nuclear energy projects, high-speed corridors, and airport upgrades. Last years budget secured major projects and substantial funds for Bihars progress.

Republic Day 2025: Important Advisory for Flyers Check These Details Before Traveling!

NEW DELHI: Passengers planning to travel from Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport between January 19 and 26, 2025, should prepare for significant flight restrictions. The measures have been implemented to ensure security during the Republic Day celebrations, and thousands of travelers may be impacted during this period. According to the airport operator, flight arrivals and departures will be completely halted during specific hours. In a recent announcement on X (formerly Twitter), Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) stated, As per the NOTAM issued for Republic Day from 19th to 26th Jan, no flights would be arriving or departing from Delhi Airport between 10:20 am to 12:45 pm IST. For updated flight information, passengers are advised to contact their respective airlines. The restrictions will remain in place until January 26, affecting Delhis IGI Airport, which is the busiest in India, handling approximately 1,300 flight movements daily. Travelers are strongly encouraged to plan ahead and check with their airlines to avoid any inconvenience. Republic Day Parade Highlights This year, 35 individuals from the Northeast have been invited to witness the Republic Day Parade at Kartavya Path in New Delhi. The group includes women entrepreneurs, National Award winners, and beneficiaries of flagship government initiatives. Members of self-help groups actively working on environmental protection, nutrition, sanitation, and gender empowerment are also part of this delegation. Out of these 35 guests, eight are from Assam, 22 from Sikkim, and five from Meghalaya, theofficials said. The theme for the Republic Day Parade tableaux is ' Swarnim Bharat: Virasat aur Vikas ', emphasizing Indias heritage and development. A total of 15 states and union territories will participate in the parade with their displays, including Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chandigarh, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Dadar Nagar Haveli & Daman and Diu. Meanwhile, to ensure a safe and secure Republic Day celebration on January 26, Delhi Police has tightened security in the capital from January 18 to February 1. As part of these precautions, authorities have banned the use of drones and other small flying devices in Delhi to minimize potential risks. Anyone found violating these rules will be taken to court.

Kalpana Soren likely to be appointed as JMM's vice president

RANCHI: Gandey MLA and CM Hemant Soren's wife Kalpana Soren is likely to be appointed as the Vice President of the party during the convention to be held in April this year. Also, Kalpana might be vested with the responsibility of strengthening the organisation. The convention will mark JMM's remarkable victory in the Assembly elections. JMM had won 34 seats. Representatives from Bihar, Assam, Odisha, Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Tamil Nadu will also attend the convention this time, a party functionary said. JMM's last convention in 2021 was held in a simple manner due to COVID-19 pandemic. However, this year, it will be held in a large scale to increase the party's influence in other states as well, party functionary added. It is yet to be decided if the convention will take place in Ranchi or Dumka. As a star campaigner, Kalpana Soren addressed more than 100 rallies during the Assembly polls in Jharkhand, which led to INDIA bloc victory. She has already proved herself by aiding the party to mark a landslide victory during the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls. Kalpana Soren deserves an important responsibility in the party. Hence, the party is mulling to give her the responsibility of strengthening the organisation, said a party functionary requesting anonymity. JMM plans to expand tribal movement in Bengal, Odisha Earlier, Kalpana Soren was appointed as the Chairperson of the Women and Child Development Committee by Assembly Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahto. Various committees were formed under the procedure and working rules of the Jharkhand Assembly. Over 25 committees of the Assembly were also reorgainsed by the Speaker. Notably, Kalpana Soren was projected as JMM's leader during the concluding ceremony of Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra for the first time on March 17, 2024. She provided the slogan -- Jharkhand Jhukega Nahin India Rukega Nahi --(Jharkhand will not bow down India will not stop). After announcing her entry into active politics, Kalpana contested the by-election from Gandey seat and later retained the seat during the Assembly polls. She is said to have been taking almost all key decisions in the party.

Shiksha Samvaad: A Groundbreaking Dialogue on Education Equity Comes to Bihar for its Latest Edition

Shikshagraha is a people's movement aiming to improve 1 million public schools in India by 2030, ensuring every child has access to quality education and the opportunity to dream and succeed. The movement brings together diverse stakeholders-government, civil society, markets, and media, -to collaboratively address the challenges in the public education system through a micro-improvement approach. By promoting decentralised decision-making in the education system, enabling leadership across levels, and fostering collective action, Shikshagraha aims to create an inclusive learning environment where every student, regardless of background, gender, or abilities, can thrive in the 21st century. Shikshagraha is being co-built by Mantra4Change and ShikshaLokam - a Shibulal Family Philanthropic Initiative.

Om Birla inaugurates 85th All India Presiding Officers Conference in Patna

PATNA : Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla arrived in the state capital late on Sunday to inaugurate the 85th All India Presiding Officers Conference (AIPOC) today. Birla later called on newly appointed Bihar Governor Mohammad Arif Mohammad Khan at Raj Bhavan. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will not be present at the conference as he is busy with the 'Pragati Yatra'. On Monday, Nitish will be in Supaul and will stay in Madhepura overnight. Earlier, Bihar Assembly Speaker Nand Kishore Yadav and Chairman of the Legislative Council Awadhesh Narayan Singh welcomed Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla at Patna airport. During the two-day conference, dignitaries will participate in brainstorming sessions on the '75th Anniversary of the Constitution: Contribution of Parliament and State Legislative Bodies in Strengthening Constitutional Values'. The Lok Sabha Speaker will unveil the 8th edition of a book titled Sansadiye Padhyati Evam Prakirya on Monday. Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, Bihar Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary, Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly Tejashwi Yadav, Assembly Speaker Nand Kishore Yadav, Assembly Deputy Speaker Narendra Narayan Yadav, Presiding Officers of Legislatures of States and UTs, a number of Bihar Ministers, MLAs, MLCs, and other dignitaries have reached Patna to grace the occasion. The valedictory session will be addressed by Bihar Governor Arif Mohammad Khan and Lok Sabha Speaker Birla on Tuesday. During the conference, Shri Birla will release the 8th edition of Practice and Procedure of Parliament . Birla will also inaugurate the Neva Seva Kendra in the Bihar Legislature premises on Tuesday. State Assembly Speaker Yadav said that the last time Bihar hosted the conference was in 1982 when Radhanandan Jha was the Speaker. Prior to this, the state hosted the conference on 6th and 7th January 1964 when Lakshmi Narayan Sudhanshu was the Assembly Speaker. Yadav said that the first session of the AIPOC was held in 1921 in Shimla. The 84th AIPOC was held at the Maharashtra Legislature premises in Mumbai on 27th and 28th January last year. He added that the 82nd AIPOC, which marked the completion of 100 years of the first AIPOC session, was once again held in Shimla in November 2021. The two-day event will conclude on Tuesday.

Suspected spurious liquor blamed for 7 deaths in dry Bihar, probe ordered

Seven people allegedly died after consuming spurious liquor in Bihar's West Champaran district, prompting an inquiry. Although locals attributed the deaths to hooch, the police confirmed other causes for two fatalities. The administration has launched an investigation, with reports to be submitted within 24 hours, to identify and confirm the actual reasons behind the deaths.

Tamil Nadu's debt is within limit, spending funds for union govt schemes: Min Thangam Thennarasu

VIRUDHUNAGAR: The union government is yet to release funds for many schemes in Tamil Nadu, including Rs 2,000 crore for Samagra Shiksha Abhiyaan, and the state has been spending its funds to implement the centres schemes, Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu said on Sunday. Talking to reporters in Mallankinaru, Thennarasu said Rs 26,000 crore for the CMRL project is spent by state government. The state has been spending more money to implement the PMs housing scheme, Thennarasu said, urging the union government to release funds allocated to the states. The centre has been focusing on governments that are either run by the BJP or by its alliance partners, he alleged. For example, funds released to a state like Uttar Pradesh is about Rs 31,039 crore. For Bihar, it has been Rs 17,403 crore. However, the entire funds released to the all four southern states like Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu stands at Rs 27,336 crore, Thennarasu said. Because of the union governments step-motherly treatment, state finances are a concern. Despite this scenario, we are managing our finances and we can perform well, he added. Thennarasu also dismissed the claims made by AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami about the state finances including borrowings. A person can make such statements only without a basic understanding of economics, Thennarasu said. In 2011, the size of the state budget was Rs 1,02,000 crore. During that period, the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) was Rs 7,51,000 crore. The budget last year was Rs 4,12,000 crore and GSDP rose to Rs 31,55,000 crore, he said, adding that as a states economy grows, the ability to settle debt increases. Claiming that states borrowings are within the limits prescribed by the 15th Finance Commission, Thennarasu said, The commission in 2021-22 prescribed the limit as 28% but our borrowings stood at 27.01% and again in 2022-23, the commission prescribed 29.3% but our borrowings stood at 26.87%. Palaniswami himself had mentioned that the government received an additional Rs 1.1 lakh crore as revenues through commercial taxes and this conveys our ability to manage our finances as we are using several technological initiatives like data analytics to maintain our financial stability. Referring to natural calamities over the last two-three years, Thennarasu said the state government released funds from its finances and the centre had released only Rs 726 crore and that too was Tamil Nadus share of the state disaster fund. On TVK leader Vijays plan to meet protesters at Parandur on Monday, Thennarasu said anybody can meet them. Central funds spent on useless things: BJP chief DHARMAPURI: K Annamalai on Sunday said the state does not use funds sanctioned by the centre under various schemes to provide basic amenities to people and is spending them on useless things. Talking to reporters, he said, Tamil Nadu has a debt of about Rs 10 lakh crore, and it would take several years for the debt to be settled. If TN passes a budget of Rs 3 lakh crore, we do not know where Rs 60,000-Rs 70,000 crore of it is utilised. If it is used for people, we can accept it. But it is used for vote bank politics, and we oppose this strongly, he said.

Work starts on Ara public library

Prisoners in Buxar jail to gain skills through smart classrooms

Rahuls fake caste survey remark leaves RJD in a jam

Congress ally RJD clarified that Rahul Gandhis remark calling the 2023 Bihar caste survey 'fake' referred to the survey's purpose being undermined. Although conducted, the intended quota increase was hindered by a court stay order, denying benefits to the deserving sections. The Grand Alliance regards the survey as a significant achievement of their tenure.

Rahul Gandhi hypocritical on caste census issue, says JD(U)

Janata Dal (United) criticized Rahul Gandhi for his silence on the caste census issue during opposition meetings despite criticizing Bihar's caste survey. JD(U) accused Congress of hypocrisy and questioned why the Karnataka government has not released its caste data. The Bihar CM, Nitish Kumar, was noted for actively supporting caste census for social justice.

NDA attacks Rahul for calling Bihar caste survey fake

PATNA, Jan 19: The ruling NDA in Bihar on Sunday slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for terming as fake the caste survey conducted by Nitish Kumar government in the state. On his first tour of the state since Lok Sabha polls, Gandhi on Saturday vowed to push for a nationwide caste census and declaimed that []

2 held with stolen bike in Saran

Rahuls fake remark on caste survey leaves GA in a dilemma

Rudy opens box cricket ground in Saran

JD(U) questions Rahulspolitical understanding

Minister hits out at oppn leader in LS